Security Increased at Giants Stadium Ramps

By DAVID PICKER

Published: November 26, 2007

The security presence on the two spiral ramps at Gate D of Giants Stadium was overwhelming Sunday during halftime of the Giants' game against the Minnesota Vikings. More than 25 state troopers and 50 security guards patrolled the multilevel ramps.

No arrests were made, said Sgt. Stephen Jones, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police. There were also no ejections, according to George Zoffinger, the departing president and chief executive of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which provides security at Giants Stadium.

''It was in recognition of a problem that had been gaining a little bit of momentum that we have observed lately,'' Jones said in a telephone interview after the game. He said security had been increased at each of the stadium's eight spiral ramps during halftime.

The scene at Gate D was markedly different during halftime of the Jets' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the previous week, when several hundred men congregated on one of the ramps and chanted at the few women in the crowd to bare their breasts. If the women did not comply, plastic beer bottles and spit were launched in their direction. There were about 10 security guards standing near the bottom of the ramp, but the behavior was not stopped.

According to several fans and stadium workers, such behavior has been going on at Jets home games for years. But it apparently had not been a problem at Giants home games. The Jets do not play at Giants Stadium again until Dec. 9, when they face the Cleveland Browns.

On Sunday, with the Giants trailing by 17 points with two minutes left in the first half, fans began to congregate on the ramps at Gate D. Fans on the upper tier had to pass 11 state troopers lined up shoulder to shoulder. Jones said extra troopers were not called in, although the manner in which they were deployed during halftime was altered.

Zoffinger and senior members of his staff were also on the ramps at Gate D during halftime, where it was almost impossible to walk more than a few feet without passing security guards in yellow jackets.

''What you didn't see, and we're going to continue to do this, is the undercover people we have that can find people that are leaders of any kind of chanting and inappropriate things,'' Zoffinger said in a telephone interview after the game. ''And we're going to make sure that we're equally up to the task come the next Jets home game.